Channeling-machine.



H. H. MERCER.

CHANNELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 11, 1912 1 ,269,295" Patented June 11, 1918.

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HENRY H. MERCER, 0F CLAREMUNT, NEW? HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MEETS, 1'0 SULLIVAN MACHINERY CUIVIPANY, 0F EOSTUN, MASSACHUSETTS, A COR- PORATIGIN OF MASSACHUSETTS.

. CHANNELING-MACHINE.

Specification of letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1918..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, I'IENRY H. MERCER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Claremont, county of Sullivan, State of New Hampshire, (whose post-oflice address is Ciaremont, New Hampshire,) have 1nvented an Improvement in Channeling-Machines, of which the following description,

sections being laid to form a continuous straight trackway and brought to a level or into alinement by means of blocks placed beneath the rails.

The labor of shifting such a trackway and adjusting it to a new position forms a very large proportion of the labor involved in the channeling operation. This is especially the case with modern high powered channeling machines where the machines, and consequently the trackway, are very heavy and cumbersome; and is also especially the case in channeling relatively soft stone where the cut is quickly made, while the shifting of the trackway requires the same amount of t1me and labor.

The object of the present invention is to provide means whereby the channeling tool may be easily and expeditiously reversed in its relation to the trackway so that after completing a channel groove at one side of thetrackway it may be caused at will to overhang the opposite side of the trackway and cut a second parallel channel groove thereat. The number of times the trackway must be shifted, blocked up and placed in alinement is thereby reduced one-half, it being necessary to move the trackway once only for each two outs. This materially reduces the time and expense of the channeling operation.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying illustration of one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows in end elevation a channeling machine with its trackway, embodying one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken transversely through the truck support of the channeling machine in Fig. 1, such section being on the line 2-2 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the channeling machine shown in Fig. 1, the standard being shown in section and the cutting appliances being removed;

F ig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 in Fig.

3 showing the underlying fixed truck support and the overlying movable and reversible platform support.

Referring to the drawings and to the embodiment of the invention therein illustrated, I have shown a track channeler carrying the usual gang 5 of channeling tools mounted upon the truck wheels 6, the latter adapted to move along the usual rails 7 .which, when united into connected sections to form a portable trackway, are customarily laid along the quarry bottom. Herein the truck wheels are mounted upon axles 8 which carry a lower or underlying main truck support 9 constituting a member having a fixed relation to opposite sides of the trackway. That is to say, although the relation of the tool gang anditool actuating parts to be described is reversed with reference to the trackway in cutting the second or parallel groove, the relation of the truck support to the trackway remains unchanged. 1

Any suitable means for propelling the channeler may be employed, but herein each axle is provided with a worm gear 10 driven by a worm 11' mounted upon the worm shaft 12. Beveled gears 13 and 1a are provided, operatively related to the worm shaft, such gears being driven in opposite directions by means of the intermeshing gear 15 on the main truck driving-shaft 16. By means of clutch devices 17 and'18 of well known construction the worm shaft may be connected to either driving gear 13 or 14, while the remay be disconnected, whereby the truck may be driven in one direction or the other, or held at rest.

To control the movement of the truck a member 19 is provided, adjustable on the shaft 20, said shaftcarrying yokes 21 and 22 adapted to control the clutches 17 and 18.

- The clutches are thrown into or out of enthe shaft is provided by means of the sprocket chain 29 passing over a sprocket wheel on the end of the motor driven shaft 30 and a second sprocket wheel on the end of the truck drive shaft 16. The truck drive shaft is mounted in a removable bearing member 31 and when the position of the platform support 28 is reversed upon the truck support, thereby bringing the motor at the opposite side of the truck, the bearing 31 is removed and bolted in a reverse position at the opposite end of the depression in the truck support in which it is located, thereby permitting the same driving connections to be maintained between the driving motor and the truck driving shafts.

The top surface of the truck support is given a grid-like formation to enable the o erative to slide the platform support 28 a out on the same by means of a crowbar or other lever-like implement and the truck driving mechanism, including the truck driving shaft 16, worm shafts 12, and power-transmitting connections, are contained in trough-like depressions below the said grid-like surface, thereby presenting no parts projecting above the surface to interfere with the movement of the platform support 28 over the same.

The operative mechanism of the cutting appliances is carried upon the reversible platform support 28. Such mechanism may be of any suitable type, but herein for illus trative purposes I have shown a channeler of the pulsator type wherein a pulsator 32 driven by the electric motor 27 has the opposite ends of its cylinder connected by the pipes.33 and 34 to opposite ends respectively 4 of the working cylinder 35, the piston of which is connected to reciprocate the tool gang 5. As is well known in this class of apparatus, the alternate compression and rarefaction of air or other pressure fluid in the opposite ends of the pulsator cylinder causes a corresponding alternate compresthe trunk drive shaft 16, but here- P sion and rarefaction in opposite ends of the working cylinder and the rapld reciprocation of the channeling gang. While, for purposes of illustration, 1 have shown my mvention in connection with a channeler of this type, it may be applied with facility and advantage to channeling machines of other types and having cutting appliances operated by other devices. v

Herein the motor 27 is mounted at one end of the platform support 28 and drives the -crank shaft of the pulsator through speed reduction gearing comprising the pinion 36 on the motor shaft meshing with the driven gear 37 on the crank shaft of the ulsator. To drive the transmission shaft 30 for the truck driving mechanism, the crank shaft carries the pinion 38 meshing with the gear 39 on the shaft 30.

The opposite end of the platform support 28 from the motor 27 is provided with an upturned face 40 to which there is bolted the upright tool support or standard 41. The latter is of the usual formation having guideways on which there is ad'ustably mounted a sliding frame compose of the working cylinder 35 and the cross head guides 42, the'latter serving to guide the cross head 43 which connects the tool gang to the piston rod 44.

To raise or lower the frame and advance the cutting appliances toward or retract the same from t e work, the, standard carries the feed screw 45, the lower end of which has connection to the sliding frame, while the upper end passes through a nut or other threaded member on the standard and fixed to turn with the gear 48.

Herein mechanism for turning the gear and nut, thereby to feed the tools, is also mounted upon the reversible support 28, the same including connections between the gear and the motor whereby the feed-screw may be fed by power in either direction at will. For this pfiurpose there is provided the upright sha tached to the standard and carrying at its upper end the gear 47 which meshes with 46 journaled in bearings at- I the gear 48 on the feed screw. The lower I end of the shaft 46 carries beveled gears 49 and 50 which are adapted each to be separately clutched to or unclutched from the shaft 46 by means of clutches 51 and 52 similar to the clutches 17 and 18 and controlled by the clutch operating handle 53. The gears 49 and 50 are-simultaneously turns in opposite directions by the beveled gear 54 carried on the end of the pulsator crank shaft. and constantly driven, therefore, by the tool actuating motor 27. By throwing the handle 53 the sliding frame may be advanced on the standard toward the work or withdrawn fromvthe same, or held at rest. Devices for bracing the standardare preferably employed, such as one or ltd more brace rods 55 attached at one end to the upper part of the standard and at the opposite endto the reversible support 28.

The reversible platform support 28 is held by any suitable means in fixed position at one end or the other of the truck support and in such relation thereto as to hold the tool gang in overhanging relation to the trackway at one side thereof. Herein there is provided at each side of the truck support 9 and adjacent to andparallel'to the edge thereof a T-slot 56. This slot is adapted to receive the heads of the clamping bolts 57, which bolts lie in vertical grooves 58 in the sides of the platform support 28, whereby by the application of clamping nuts to the threaded ends of the bolts the platform support may be clamped in fixed position with the grooves alining with the T-slots. It will be observed that the? platform sup port may be fixed on the truck support with the standard at either end thereof or at any intermediate position, since the T-slot 56 extends for the entire length of the truck support. The standard may also be reversed by reversing the platform support and clamping the latter in the "l -slot 56 at the opposite side of the truck support, thereby permitting the channeler to be operated with the tool overhanging the opposite side of the trackway and with the standard fixed at either end of the truck.

To shift the standard to either end or either side of the truck, the bolts 57 are loosened and withdrawn from the slots and the platform support is slid around upon the truck support until the desired position is reached with the grooves 58 in alinement with the slots 56, whereupon it is again clamped fixedly in position. The gridded surface of the truck support presents a sue cession of pockets into which the ends ofthe workmans crowbar can be placed and the platform support easily moved from one point to another under the leverage of the bar. This is also facilitated by forming the support 28 with a succession of depressions 59, as shown in Figs. 1 and t, which project beyond the intermediate lower limits of the support, whereby leverage can always be obtained by a orowbar inserted in one of the pockets and applied to the, walls of the support.

The tool actuating devices, including the tool feeding mechanism, being self-contained upon the reversible support, and the truck driving connections being reversible with the support, the channeler can be operated as readily in one position with reference to the trackway as in its reverse relation to the trackway. The length of overhang of the tool gang from the truck determines the width of the block where the tool appliances are reversed for cutting the second parallel groove. In order that difi'erent widths of blocks may be cut with the same apparatus, some provision is preferably made whereby the length of this overhang can be varied as may be required. This may be accomplished in any suitable or convenient way, but herein I have provided by way of illustration additional grooves 60 in the sides of the platform support 28 whereby such platform support can be adjusted in different positions transversely of the truck, and the length of tool overhang thereby varied. Two sets only of such vertical rooves are herein shown for purposes of illustration, but it will be evident that any number may be provided or any other suitable means employed for securing a suitably graduated adjustment to any desired extent of the tool overhang.

When the overhang is varied, suitable means may be provided for maintaining the alinement of the driving and driven sprocket members, such as a sprocket wheel member on one or the other of the two shafts 16 or 30 having an extended hub so as to maintain the alinement of its sprocket wheel with the other'sprocket wheel.

While have herein shown and described for purposes of illustration one specific embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that extensive deviations may be made from the structure therein shown without departing from the spirit thereof,

Claims:

1. In a channeler, a truck having a plane upper surface, a platform support slidable on said surface, channel cutting mechanism on said platform support including an overhanging tool and an operatively connected motor, and truck driving mechanism operatively connectible with said motor when said tool overhangs either side of said truck.

2. In a channeler, a truck having a plane upper surface, a platform support slidable on said surface, channel cuttin on said platform support inclu ing an overhanging tool and an operatively connected motor, and truck driving mechanism operatively connectible with said motor when said tool overhangs the side of said truck at either end thereof.

3. In a channeler, a truck having a plane upper surface, a platform support slidable on said surface, channel cuttin mechanism on said platform support including an overhang-"ing tool and an operatively connected mechanism llfl motor, and truck driving mechanism operatively connectible with said motor when said tool overhangs either side of said truck at either end thereof.

4. In a channeler, a truck having a plane upper surface, a platform support slidable on said surface, channel cutting mechanism carried on said support including a tool and an operatively connected motor, and truck driving mechanism operatively connected to the ends of said truck and beneath the sur:

face thereof.

6. In a channeler, a truck having a plane surface, a platform support slidable into position parallel to either end of said surface, channel cutting mechanism on said support including a tool and an operatively connected motor, and truck driving mechanism disposed between the operative positions of said support and operatively connectible to said motor in either of said positions.

7. In a channeler, a truck having a lane upper surface, a platform support sli able into a plurality of reverse positions at each end of said surface, channel cutting mechanism on said support including a tool and an operatively connected motor, and truck driving mechanism including a bodily reversible connection disposed between the operative positions of said support and operatively connectible to said motor.

8. In a channeler, a truck having a plane 11 per surface a platform support disposa le in a plura ity of reverse positions at one end thereof, channel cutting mechanism on said support including a tool and an opera tively connected motor, and truck driving mechanism operatively connectible to said motor including a reversible driving connection disposable in a plurality of reverse positions beneath said surface.

9. In a channeler, a truck having a plane upper surface; an elongated platform support slidable thereon; channel cutting inech anism including a tool, a pulsator, and a motor operatively connected and disposed retract in substantial alinement on said support; 5

and truck driving mechanism operatively center line of said truck.

10. In a channeler, a truck having a plane upper surface provided with a transverse depression intermediate its ends, a platform support slidably mounted on said surface,

channel cutting mechanism carried on said I support including a tool and an operatively connected motor, truck driving mechanism including a shaft reversibly mounted in said depression, and operative connections between said shaft and said motor.

11. In a channeler, a truck having a plane 7 upper surface, a latform supportslidable on said surface, 0 annel cuttingmechanism on said platform including an overhanging tool and an operatively connected motor, means for locking said support to said truck in a plurality of positions, and truck driving mechanism operatively connected to said motor'when said tool overhangs either side of said truck at either end thereof.

12. In a channeler, a truck having a plane upper surface, a platform support slidable thereon and disposable in a plurality of reverse positions at either end of said surface, each substantially parallel to the end of said truck, channel cutting mechanism on said platform support including a .tool and an operatively connected motor, and truck drivin mechanism operatively connectible to sa d motor in any operative position'of said support including a reversible driving connection disposable in a plurality of reverse positions beneath the surface of said truck at a point intermediate the ends thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have-signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. i

. HENRY H. MERCER.

' Witnesses:

H. A. Ride, E. A. Tenor. 

